Hungary's Farm Minister Istvan Nagy will go to Türkiye for talks with his Turkish counterpart about extending the Ankara-brokered deal that allows Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports.
Nagy announced on Facebook that he is heading to Ankara on Tuesday.
"Türkiye is a key player in the long-term handling of market difficulties caused by Ukrainian grain imports (in Central Europe)," Nagy said.
Türkiye and the UN brokered the deal between Russia and Ukraine in July 2022, aiming to prevent a global food crisis by allowing Ukrainian grain trapped by the war to be exported from Black Sea ports.
The deal is due to expire next week. Moscow has said it sees no grounds to extend it beyond July 17.
More than 33 million tons of grain have been transported to people in need, according to Turkish officials.
Russian officials have strongly hinted that Moscow could block the extension of the deal this month, complaining that parts of it to allow Russian exports have gone unfulfilled.
Ukraine has increased its reliance on routes through Eastern Europe. Five countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have sought import restrictions on the shipments, complaining cheaper Ukrainian grain was making domestic production unprofitable.
The European Union on May 2 allowed the five countries - Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia - to ban domestic sales of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seeds, while allowing grain shipments to transit through them for export elsewhere, including to other EU countries.
The European Commission last month extended these sales restrictions on Ukrainian grain for the five countries until September 15.
Regarding last year’s landmark Black Sea grain deal, which is set to expire on July 17, Erdogan said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit Türkiye next month.
Türkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has repeatedly urged Kiev and Moscow to end the war through talks.
